Laurie Hertzel is senior editor for books at the Star Tribune, where she has worked since 1996. She is the author of "News to Me: Adventures of an Accidental Journalist," winner of a Minnesota Book Award.

Graywolf essay collection hits best-seller list

It was all celebratory doughnuts and smiles at Graywolf Press in Minneapolis this morning when the news came out that "The Empathy Exams," an essay collection by Leslie Jamison, debuted at No. 11 on the New York Times print paperback best-sellers list.

The book, which is this year's winner of the Graywolf Nonfiction Award, went into a sixth printing today, this time of 10,000 copies.

It's rare for a book of essays--especially a book published by a small independent press--to do so well so quickly, but "The Empathy Exams" has gotten extraordinary reviews. The Star Tribune called it "astonishing." The New York Times said "it's hard to imagine a stronger, more thoughtful voice emerging this year." The Boston Globe called it "a brilliant collection," and the Los Angeles Times says it is "remarkable and multifaceted."

Champagne corks might be popping over at Graywolf this afternoon. Champagne, I've heard, goes well with doughnuts.